Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: MONDAY, October 25, 1993                   TAG: 9310250015
SECTION: VIRGINIA                    PAGE: C-3   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: 
DATELINE:                                 LENGTH: Medium

ROAD WORK AHEAD

Several contracts for local road improvements were awarded by the Commonwealth Transportation Board Thursday. More than $9 million of the total $11 million awarded in the 12-county Salem transportation district is designated for work in Botetourt County. The projects are:

ALTERNATE U.S. 220 in Botetourt County will be widened. Work on the project will begin in November under a $4.3 million contract awarded to Branch Highways Inc. of Roanoke. The final section, 1.8 miles, will be rebuilt into a four-lane divided highway, ending at U.S. 460 in Roanoke County. The project is expected to be finished in the fall of 1995.

U.S. 220 in Botetourt County will have work done to eliminate a sharp curve. About 1.4 miles of U.S. 220 south of the new bridge near Iron Gate will be reconstructed. The $2.9 million contract was awarded to Branch Highways Inc.

VIRGINIA 654 (Read Mountain Road) in Botetourt County will be widened from just east of U.S. 11 to Alternate U.S. 220, a distance of 1.8 miles. The project will include demolition of buildings, a new drainage structure, utility work, and paving with asphalt concrete. Branch Highways Inc. is the contractor for the $2.2 million project.

VIRGINIA 618 (Rutrough Road) in Roanoke County will be widened a distance of 1.4 miles. The project, with a cost of $341,135, begins just east of Virginia 658 and ends at Virginia 709. The contractor is Robertson-Fowler Co. of Buchanan.

VIRGINIA 653 in Bedford County will be widened a distance of 1.2 miles. The project begins south of Virginia 655 and ends near the intersection of Virginia 653 and Virginia 655. Contractor for the $541,183 project is Worley Ready Mix Concrete Inc. of Rocky Mount.